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JetBlue Names Susan Pfingstler as Vice President JetBlue University

New York, July 24, 2023, (BUSINESS WIRE) – JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) today announced the appointment of Susan Pfingstler to vice president, JetBlue University. In this role, Pfingstler will oversee the carrier’s award-winning training programs and facilities. She will report to Warren Christie, JetBlue’s head of safety, security, fleet operations and JetBlue University.

From locations in Orlando, New York and Salt Lake City, JetBlue University offers new hire and recurrent training for JetBlue’s airports, customer support (reservations), flight operations, inflight, system operations, and technical operations (maintenance) crewmembers, as well as pilot training services for a variety of other airlines around the world.

Pfingstler comes to JetBlue from United Airlines where she served as the managing director, network operations, air traffic control strategy. Previously, she held positions with the Federal Aviation Administration, the International Air Transport Association, and the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. She spent the first decade of her career as a New York City-based pilot in both the corporate and Part 121 airline arenas.

Pfingstler holds a bachelor’s degree in professional aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. She is a Board Member of NASA’s Advisory Council Aeronautics Committee and Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Norway’s First P-8A Poseidon Rolls Out of Boeing Paint Shop

The first P-8A Poseidon aircraft for Norway today rolled out of the paint shop in Renton, in Royal Norwegian Air Force livery. Norway is one of eight nations to have acquired the P-8A as their new multimission maritime patrol aircraft.

Recently, the air force revealed the names of its five P-8A Poseidon aircraft: Vingtor, Viking, Ulabrand, Hugin and Munin. The names are inspired by Norse mythology and continue a tradition of almost 80 years that started when the names Vingtor, Viking and Ulabrand were used on Norway’s PBY-5 Catalina maritime patrol aircraft in 1942. Since then, other maritime patrol aircraft operated by the Royal Norwegian Air Force have carried those names, including its current P-3 fleet, which will be replaced by the P-8. 

Norway’s first P-8A aircraft – Vingtor – will now return to the factory floor to be prepared for flight testing. First flight is scheduled for later this month, and mission systems will be installed on the aircraft after that.

First Norwegian P8 Paint Rollout

American Airlines Names Adriane M. Brown To Board of Directors

FORT WORTH, Texas — American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ: AAL) today announced the election of Adriane M. Brown, 62, to its board of directors. Brown will also serve on the company’s Audit and Corporate Governance and Public Responsibility committees.

Brown currently serves as managing partner at Seattle-based venture capital firm Flying Fish Partners. She also sits on the boards of Axon Enterprise, Inc., eBay Inc. and the Washington Research Foundation/WRF Capital.

Brown has held a number of senior leadership positions during her career, including president and chief operating officer at Intellectual Ventures Management, LLC, president and CEO of Transportation Systems and vice president and GM of two aerospace divisions at Honeywell International Inc. Brown launched her career at Corning Incorporated and rose to hold several senior roles. She previously served on the boards of The Raytheon Company, Allergan plc and Harman International Industries, Incorporated.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in environmental health from Old Dominion University and a Master of Science in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Union Pacific Names Craig Richardson Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary

Union Pacific today named Craig Richardson executive vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary. Richardson is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company’s legal affairs, including commercial transactions and litigation, regulatory matters, labor and employment. Richardson also supervises the railroad’s compliance and ethics program, and risk management initiatives, including Union Pacific’s police department. He succeeds Rhonda Ferguson, who served as executive vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary.

Richardson most recently served as vice president of commercial and regulatory law. He’s also held the position of associate general counsel.

“Craig has provided critical leadership, guiding us through sensitive and complex legal matters with insight, sound judgment and clarity,” said Chairman, President and CEO Lance Fritz. “He is a superior partner and counselor and has the expertise we need during this time of unprecedented change within our nation and company.”

Richardson’s experience spans commercial and regulatory litigation, including oil and gas, environmental, and antitrust law, as well as all aspects of multi-jurisdictional permitting of global energy infrastructure. For nearly a decade, he served as the Chief Legal Officer of El Paso Corporation’s Pipeline Group, the largest network of interstate natural gas pipelines in North America, delivering over 30% of the natural gas consumed in the United States. He was responsible for all legal matters nationwide, waging successful litigation in executing El Paso’s $8 billion portfolio of crucial additions to national energy infrastructure from California to New York.

KiwiRail Names New Tar Barrel Tunnel Bypass

“The name Ruakanakana is associated with a pā site beside Lake Elterwater that was occupied by the renowned chief Te Rakaitauheke of the Ngāti Kurī hapū of Ngāi Tahu.

“The Main North Line runs alongside Lake Elterwater, around 10km north of the new overpass. Ruakanakana can be translated as “two-headed lamprey” which evokes images of a guardian taniwha.

“Traffic will be travelling on the new overpass next month. Construction work is close to completion, with the naming by iwi and blessing of the new overpass part of our final preparations. 

“Vehicles have been using a temporary diversion through the area, while it was being built.

“The new road overpass is part of the work KiwiRail is doing to move a stretch of the Main North Line to bypass Tar Barrel tunnel, the oldest tunnel on the line.

“This work is needed to make the rail line more resilient and involves cutting through the hill to re-route the line to the south of the tunnel and beneath State Highway 1.”

The project is part of the Kaikoura Earthquake recovery works and will improve rail operations and seismic reliance for both road and rail.

KiwiRail is working with Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency to deliver these works, which are on track to be completed by mid-2021.

Waka Kotahi Director Regional Relationships Jim Harland thanked drivers through this site for taking care around road and rail crews while a more resilient link, particularly in the event of earthquakes, is completed for both road and rail.

Amtrak Names William Flynn as CEO and President

WASHINGTON – Amtrak announced that it has named William J. Flynn as its next Chief Executive Officer and President. Flynn, a seasoned business leader with four decades of transportation and logistics experience, will begin his role on April 15, 2020. Flynn succeeds Richard Anderson, who joined Amtrak as CEO in July 2017. Anderson, who fulfills his three-year commitment to the company this year, will remain with Amtrak through the end of the year as a senior advisor to Flynn. 

Flynn, 66, has been a successful leader across multiple modes of transportation, including rail, maritime and aviation. Most recently, he served 13 years with Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc., which serves the global air freight, military charter and passenger charter markets, as President and CEO and Board Chairman. He also held senior roles with CSX Transportation, Sea-Land Services, Inc., and GeoLogistics Corp.

“Bill is the right executive to lead us into the future,” said Amtrak Board Chairman Tony Coscia. “We’ve never been stronger as a company than we are today. We are modernizing the customer experience and delivering our service to more people. Bill has a consistent track record of growing and improving complex transportation businesses. We are confident he will build upon the strong foundation of record-setting growth and improvement set by the Board, Richard and the entire Amtrak team.”

In fiscal year 2019, Amtrak set new records in ridership, revenue and earnings. In 2020, Amtrak is on pace to achieve operational breakeven for the first time in the company’s 49-year history. Additionally, Amtrak is investing billions in capital assets and is undertaking the largest fleet renewal in company history, with new high-speed Acela trains entering service on the Northeast Corridor next year. 

“Amtrak’s future is incredibly bright and I’m excited to join the team,” said Flynn. “Amtrak service is vital to millions of Americans across the nation and by improving the customer experience, driving safety, and strengthening our partnership with states and other stakeholders, we can do much more for the American people. Tony, Richard and Amtrak’s dedicated employees have done an amazing job modernizing the company for the 21st Century. It’s a privilege to join them in continuing this work and advancing something as important as Amtrak’s mission.”  

“I congratulate the Board on selecting Bill to lead Amtrak into its 50th year and beyond,” said Anderson. “Bill brings deep expertise across all aspects of transportation and a true passion for the customer. As the company refleets our equipment, expands our services and advances key infrastructure projects like the Gateway Program, it will require the steady leadership and relentless drive for improvement that I know Bill can provide.”

Newsweek Names American Airlines One of America’s Most Responsible Companies

FORT WORTH, Texas — American Airlines was named to Newsweek’s 2020 list of America’s Most Responsible Companies, appearing among the top 100 companies in the publication’s inaugural ranking. American ranked highest among U.S. airlines included on the list.

“We believe our company’s focus is in the right place when we’re doing more than moving people from destination to destination — we’re taking great care of those people on their journeys, and we’re conducting our business in a responsible and sustainable way,” said Steve Johnson, Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs for American. “Our team members work hard every day to put that purpose into practice as they interact with their colleagues, our customers and the communities we serve, and we know our company is stronger for it. We’re proud to see their efforts recognized through our inclusion on this list.”

American’s approach to corporate responsibility is guided by three strategic objectives: to make culture a competitive advantage, to create a world-class customer experience and to build the airline to thrive forever. The company’s commitment to corporate responsibility is detailed in its latest Corporate Responsibility Report.

Newsweek’s list was developed from an analysis of publicly available key performance indicators in the areas of environmental, social and corporate governance, in addition to an independent survey.

Boeing Names New Communications Leader for Commercial Airplanes Business

– Conrad Chun, a nine-year Boeing employee, named vice president of Communications for Boeing Commercial Airplanes

CHICAGO, Nov. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing [NYSE:BA] today announced the appointment of Conrad Chun as vice president of Communications for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, effective immediately. 

Chun most recently served as vice president of Communications for Boeing Global Services where he was responsible for media relations, employee and executive communications, digital communications, government and customer relations, and product and services marketing communications in support of Boeing’s fastest-growing business unit. 

Previously, Chun served as director of Communications for Global Services & Support and Boeing Military Aircraft, both of which were divisions of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. 

In his new role, Chun will continue reporting to Anne Toulouse, senior vice president of Communications, and Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

“Stan and I are confident in Conrad’s abilities to help us prepare to safely return the 737 MAX to service and continue to drive progress across our commercial airplanes business,” Toulouse said.

Chun joined Boeing in 2010 after retiring from the U.S. Navy as a captain with 24 years of service. Chun is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in information systems from the Naval Postgraduate School. Chun currently serves as chairman of the board of directors for the Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN), a nonprofit organization that focuses on job-placement solutions for military-affiliated spouses and caregivers to war-wounded veterans.

Chun succeeds Linda Mills, who announced she will be leaving the company. 

“We thank Linda for her many contributions and wish her all the best in the future,” Toulouse said.

Alexa Marrero, current director of Communications Operations for Boeing Global Services, will serve as interim head of Communications for Boeing Global Services until a permanent replacement is selected. 

Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. As the top U.S. exporter, the company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries. Boeing employs more than 150,000 people worldwide and leverages the talents of a global supplier base. Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth.